Dolly for moving columns



Fi led Aug. 16, 1943 INVENTOR George D. Hulburl' {Z Raymond E Gonaway A TTOBNE Y Patented Mar. 26, 1946 George "Delbert Hulburt and Raymond Emory 'Conaway, Los Angeles, 'Calif., ass'ignors to TwentithCentury-Fox "Film Corporation, Los Angeles, cane, acorporation of New York Application August 16, 19.43, .Ser-ialNo. 498,788

Claims.

This invention relatesto a dolly designed for lifting and moving loads :such :as :posts, columns,

etc.

The invention to be described hereinafter has been designed and constructed to .meet requirements arising in the motion picture business particularly, but it will become apparent to those skilled in the art that it will have usefulness in other fields as Well.

vIn the motion picture business Fit is common practice to store parts of buildings that have been used in previous pictures. Some of "this material, such as columns, facades, etc., are stored as units so that they :may again beused intact. Under these -conditionsit often happens that an ornate column must be moved iromthe set .to storage and, since the column will 'be used again, it is desirable that it be moved without marring or damaging. The dolly embodied in this invention has been provided .for this purpose and by virtue of its construction will lift the column from the floor and will carry it in a substantially upright position with practically no handling of the column itself. Under normal conditions the dolly may be operated by one man after it has been loaded. The principle of the dolly embodies an A-frame construction wherein the members of "the vi i-frame are pivoted so that the angle between the two members may be changed to form a lifting device out of the dolly as well as a carrying means.

Other objects andv advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds in conjunction with the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dolly without any load;

Figure 2 is a view of the dolly retracted and in a loading position ready to pick up a column; and

Figure 3 is a view of the dolly in an extended position showing a column carried thereon.-

As stated, the dolly embodies an A-frame construction which is shown and exemplified by the members generally designated II and I2. The member ll may consist of a single piece of pipe bent into a form to produce legs I3 and I4 which are connected at the upper end by a curved portion l5, the purpose of which will become later apparent. The member [2 may comprise two sections of pipe I6 and I! which are pivotally connected to the legs l3 and M as shown at l8. The members t3 and [4 are mounted upon a cross member [9 while the members l6 and H are mounted upon the cross member 20. To render the device more useful, both the members I9 and .26 are mounted upon-casters 2 i, all of which may :beswivel casters-or only a "pair of which may be 'swiveledto'provide for steering. .Also mounted onv themember it a pair of angle plates 22 which'are adapted to come close to the floor level aswshown in Figure 2 when the dolly is Lretract'ed in a loading position. The column C may then be tipped :slig'htly'as shown by the dotted axis line X which allows. the plates 222110 be shoved under the iootingci the, column. This part of the loading may :require :two men in case the column cannot 'bemtipped slightly :by the single .man operating. the daily. However, once I the members 22 are beneath the column, .one

man may tip the column :slightly zinward toward the member 1 i and-secure it in position by -a rope or equivalent member 23 which is :secured to the members 13 and 14 by means of eyelets 24. The top of the column will .be :held in position by the curved member 15. In cases where a short column may be'handled, we have provided aisecond curved member 25 extending between the members I3 and 14 similar to the member 15. As :a means-07f holding-the members it and i2 in either a retracted position Mr loading or an extended position for carrying, we providestrap members 216and 2&1 whichzare. pivoted to :the members l3 and :lirespectively and held together at their outer ends by a cross rod 28. These members are provided with notches 29 and 30 designed to engage lugs 3| on the members l6 and I1 respectively. Figures 2 and 3 show the two positions of the dolly and how the members 26 and 21 hold it in these two positions. As an added precaution we may provide an additional holding means 32, which in this instance is shown as a rope extending between the members l9 and 20. This member is only in case the other members fail to hold and has been added only in the interest of safety.

In operation the dolly may be brought up to a column to be moved and retracted to the position shown in Figure 2. It is locked in this position by the members 26 and 21 as shown. The column is then tilted as indicated by the line X and the plates 22 shoved beneath the column. The column is tilted back against the dolly and is tied into place by the rope 23. The operator then moves around behind the dolly and lifts the members 26 and 21 so that the notch 29 clears the lug 3| and with his feet on the cross member 20 pushes against the bar 28 connecting the outer ends of the members 26 and 21, thereby spreading the A-frame, which leans the column farther back and raises the base of the 7 load on the dolly.

.the members 26 and 21 over the lugs 3| and the 7 said plates and supported column from the floor, thus putting the entire This brings the slots 30 in members are dropped into place, thus locking the dolly in the carrying position. The column in this position may be moved about wherever desired. The operation is simple, fast, and re quires no more than two men in an extreme case and can generally be 'doneby one man; The device is simple, inexpensive, and durable.

We are aware that modifications and refinements of construction in the device may be madewithout departing from the invention. Accordingly, the disclosure made herein isintended to cover all equivalent means for the purpose described.

We claim:

1. A dolly for moving columns or the like comprising a front member mounted on a movable support, a back member pivoted to said front member, the lower end of said back member being mounted on a movable support, flat plates extending from the lower end of said front member adapted to be lowered substantially to a floor level and be slipped beneath a column footing when said back member is retracted into a loading position, means on said front member for securing a column thereagainst so that it will be tilted therewith, and means for locking said back member in a retracted position for loading, and in an extended position whereby said front member is tilted so that said column is raised on in an inclined position on said dolly. 1

2. A dolly for moving columns or the like comprising an elongated front member havingflat plates extending from the lower end thereof, means for securing said column against said front member, a rear member pivotally mounted atone end to said front member so that movement of said rear -member on it's pivot point changes the inclination of said frame, means'for locking said rear member'in a position whereby said front frame is tilted forward so that said plates come substantially to the floor level for slipping under the column footing, and means for locking said rear member in another position whereby said front frame is tilted backwards and the said plates are raised from the floor to lift and support said column on said dolly in an inclined position.

3. A dolly formoving columns or the like comprising a front member and a back member pivoted together to form an A-frame construction, fiat plates extending atright angles from the lower end of said front member, means for holding said members in a retracted position so that said plates are lowered substantially to the floor level for sliding beneath the base of said column, and means for holding said members in an extended position whereby said plates are raised from the floor level and the column is carried upon said frame in an inclined position.

4. A carrier for moving columns or the like comprising an inverted U-shaped member having fiat plates'extending from the lower end thereof, the upper end of said U-shaped member being shaped to form a supporting cradle for a substantiall upright load, a back member pivotally connected to said front member to provide an A-frame construction, means for hold ing said back member in a retracted position with respect to said front memberso that said plates will be lowered substantially to the floor level for sliding under a load, and means for holding said back member in an extended position with respect to said front member to raise position whereby said load said load and support the same in an inclined position upon said plates and said supporting cradle. 1

5. A lift carrier comprising a front member and a back member pivotally inter-connected to form an A-frame construction, flat plates extending from the base of said front member adapted to be lowered substantially ,to the floor level for sliding under a load when said front 

